The Williamsport Regional Airport is going through an unprecedented time. US Airways/Piedmont Airlines announced that they would be discontinuing service out of Williamsport effective Oct 2,2008. The airline would strongly prefer to continue providing scheduled air service to Williamsport. However, the dramatic increase in the cost of fuel has made it impossible for them to economically operate this service. Since US Airways is the sole carrier in Williamsport, the filing to cease service placed the Williamsport Regional Airport into a Federal program called EAS. (Essential Air Service) This program provides federal money to an air carrier that would provide service to this airport. The bids for this service were due back to the Dept of Transportation on the 12th of August. Three airlines bid for this service. Colgan Air / United Express with service to Washington Dulles with a Saab 340. Mesaba Airlines / Northwest with service to Detroit with a Saab 340. Piedmont / US Airways with a Dash-8 to Philadelphia. The next step is a review of these bids by the Airport Authority, The County Commissioners and the Community. The intention of this petition is to generate a large pool of signatures in support of US Airways / Piedmont Airlines. Your signature would be counted as a vote for US Airways over the other two choices. Thank you for your support.